The microfilming system of this invention is directed in a specific application to the insurance claims processing field and particularly to the medical insurance claims processing. In this particular field, an extremely large number of claim forms are received daily requiring processing to assure prompt and correct payment in accordance with the statutory and contractual terms of such insurance arrangements. Each of the claims that is received requesting payment for services and all prescribed drugs and products in generally accompanied by one or more supporting documents such as the individual service vendors invoices.
The basic claim form is designated a primary document with all supporting invoices then designated as sub-documents in the context of this invention. These primary and sub-documents for each claim thus form a set of documents which must be concurrently processed and maintained in the files for information retrieval systems of the insurance servicing company. Generally, all hard copies of the primary and sub-documents must be retained in a readily identifiable file and stored for subsequent utilization in verification of information that is otherwise transferred into information systems that include computer systems to facilitate and expedite processing as well as further servicing of any particular claim.
To facilitate the informational retrieval at subsequent times for further review and processing of any particular claim, the documents are preferably stored on photographic film which can be identified by claim numbers assigned to specific claims at the time of initial processing. Microfilm storage devices currently available for such purposes utilize a system wherein the images of the document thus photographed are also identified for purposes of machine location through the application and formation of additional images adjacent one or more selected documents images with these additional images being designated as clock-marks or blips. The microfilm viewers, generally a cartridge or cassette type, include mechanisms which are capable of recognizing the blip or clock-marks and automatically function to transport the film to a viewing position for a specific identified document. These documents, or their images, are located on respective frames of a film strip and are accordingly identifiable in numerical sequence on a strip of film. The apparatus utilized in such systems are of a relatively cumbersome nature requiring the addition of the designator blips or clock-marks at many frames which may not necessarily be the specific identified frame for a primary document of a set of documents. Such systems therefor result in a time consuming process in the location of a specific document at a later time where review of the documents is necessary for further processing of a claim. Additionally, it is particularly desirable that the hard copies of the documents as received in the processing facility be identified numerically for subsequent retrieval in the event verification of information originally transferred into the electronic data processing equipment, including that of the computers and microfilming apparatus, indicates error or becomes damaged or affected to the extent that the necessary information cannot be retrieved from such systems. It is for that reason that the original hard copy documents must be retained in files and stored for such use even though the event and requirement is minimal and considered primarily only a possibility. Consequently, it is important that these documents each be provided with an identifying number that is associated with a specific claim.